[tape begins] so many thousands of allied servicemen who died, not only in the campaigns in World War II, but also in the Malayan emergency and indeed the first battle casualty from the Vietnam War is also, the remains are buried here in Kranji.
This year is the 60th anniversary of the victory in both the European and Pacific wars in 1945. As we gather here at Kranji this morning we particularly remember the 1100 Australians who are buried in this cemetery and the many thousands more whose names are commemorated on the roll of honour, perhaps of all of the dramatic events of World War II, none is more deeply in the Australian psyche than the fall of Singapore which resulted not only in the surrender of what was seen as an impregnable military base but also the going into captivity of some 15,000 Australians, many of whom died in prisoner of war camps and on the Burma-Thailand railway. So we especially remember the sacrifice of Australians, of New Zealanders, of British, of India, of Malayan and of all the other allies that fought alongside us in those very perilous and dangerous times for Australia.
As we gather at this war cemetery we do what we always do when we gather at any war cemetery where Australians are buried and that is to pay tribute to the more than 100,000 Australians who have died defending the values that we hold dear and died in the course of freedom. Today we especially remember Flight Lieutenant Paul Pardoel who died while serving in the Royal Air Force in Iraq just two days ago. And on behalf of the Government of Australia and the people of Australia I extend my sympathy to his wife, to his parents, to his parents-in-law, to his three young children, and all his other family and friends. And also we think of the relatives of the British service personnel who died in the same incident.
We owe a great debt of gratitude to those who gave their lives in the two great wars and other conflicts in defending Australia and defending the things that we hold dear. And this short but important ceremony this morning is a mark of that respect and it is also an acknowledgement of the history that Australia shares with the people of Singapore and it is appropriate that my first act on this visit to Singapore should be to honour the Australian war dead who are buried here and in so doing to mark the contemporary significance and closeness and centrality of the relationship between Australia and the people of Singapore.
Thank you.
[ends]